As I gear up for Porter Flea this weekend, my fifth one, it's easy to reminisce about the very first one and how much I've changed and my business has grown in these last 2 years. Looking back through the pictures, it seems like so long ago I got my business license and became a "professional" weaver. I was so nervous waiting for the "you got in" or "sorry, next time around" email I don't think I even ate for two days! Then it came time to actually start making things.. all the things. I made all the tea towels, scarves, table runners, and pillows my little fingers could handle. I also had to figure out my booth design, that was a nightmare! Many trips to thrift stores and the flea market and hours upon hours of work on Rogers part- we finally had it figured out! Rebecca and Taylor came up to help and the rest is a blur. The biggest thing I took from that weekend, was that I NEEDED Porter Flea in my life.

I am still just as humbled to be accepted into Porter Flea again and again, I really count on it for my business and it keeps me working and coming up with new product ideas. This time around, I'm doing things a little differently- I've spent much of this last year collaborating with other local designers and I thought-- what better idea than to share a booth with some of them! They just happen to be my studio-mates too, and I love them to death. There have definitely been a few ups and downs in this whole booth planning thing, like trying to figure out how 3+ of us would be able to fit in our 8x8 booth, but we've worked it all out and I couldn't be more excited to share this experience with them. (Although they are long-time Porter Flea veterans from back when it first started) I feel like we've come full circle. That very first Porter Flea Roger and I went to when we moved here was the first time I met Jamie and Hannah. I knew from that day forward, my number one goal was to be able to work with them.

My products have grown and changed, that's obvious, but I can also see how much my process has changed. I never really stuck with anything long enough to experience the "practice makes perfect" thing until now. 2 years ago, as I was making my lists and planning out my time leading up to Porter Flea, I had to get all my weaving done the week before so I would have time to finish products. That last warp I did for that market was for 15 tea towels and Roger thought I was crazy. Porter Flea is on Friday, 2 days away, and I just put 15 yards on my big loom to have done in time. And I will easily finish it. To break it down for you- that's 560 square feet of cloth for 15 tea towels compared to 2,700 square feet of cloth for these 15 yards. So I guess practice really does make perfect! I definitely hope to see you all this weekend, because Porter Flea would mean nothing without you guys! Thanks!